Senate Recap for April 29

The Associated Students of the University of Nevada senate confirmed Abhay Sharma, nominee for Director of the Department of Clubs and Organizations, in a unanimous vote last Wednesday. Sharma previously served as Club Support Funding Manager for Clubs and Orgs.

Despite efforts by Speaker of the Senate Nick Andrew to limit the conversation to his qualifications, Sharma was unable to escape the controversies surrounding club funding. The issue has plagued Clubs and Orgs since the start of the spring semester and will likely color Sharma’s tenure well into the fall semester.

Public Comment

The Office of Undergraduate Research for the University of Nevada, Reno attended the meeting to present the senate with a new pilot project that would establish international research opportunities.

Following the presentation, the Office of Undergraduate Research asked for any available ASUN funding to subsidize scholarships for those students who may be unable to afford the costs of studying and researching abroad.

The project, which begins later this summer, is still in its infancy and if it were to continue past the current phase, would remain as a summer-only program due to time restraints related to studying abroad.

Additionally, the program would be available to a select few students, mainly those in research-heavy majors, and those students would only be able to travel to a handful of the University Studies Abroad Consortium’s current offerings.

ASUN officer reports

In his report, ASUN President Caden Fabbi recounted his recent visit to the Nevada Legislature where he and former senator Quinn Jonas testified in favor of Senate Bill 464, the medical amnesty bill which received the official support of ASUN late in the 82nd session, and Senate Bill 339, a bill that would allow the Nevada System of Higher of Education to enact tighter restrictions on tobacco use on its campuses.

Speaking first about the discussion over SB 339, Fabbi expressed frustration over Assembly Republican’s dislike of SB 339. They, according to Fabbi, found the bill hypocritical since cigarette taxes partially fund education. If SB 339 were to fail in the Assembly, UNR’s planned transition to a smoke-free campus would be postponed until the next legislative session.

Speaking next about SB 464, Fabbi was upset by remarks made by one committee member who jokingly asserted that the committee should remain skeptical of Fabbi’s and Jonas’ testimony since the human brain is not fully developed until the age of 25.

Though the assemblyman did tell Fabbi that the statement was meant as a joke, Fabbi was noticeably incensed by the remark and urged the senate to write letters to the Assembly in favor of both SB 464 and SB 339.

“Our voices do matter,” said Fabbi. “We’ve taken stances and made these things happen. Four-six-four is literally happening because of this body and because of the work that this past session put in. What I propose to you guys is — let’s show ‘em.”

Jacob Solis can be reached at jsolis@ sagebrush.unr.edu and on Twitter @TheSagebrush.